These Sprinting Sumo Wrestlers Put Our Fitness Levels To Shame

October 26, 2015

When we saw there was a video of sprinting sumo wrestlers doing the rounds on the Internet, we’ll be honest. We thought we were going to be in for a bit of a laugh. What we didn’t expect, however, was for the video to be mighty impressive. Who knew 30-stone sumo wrestlers were capable of such speeds? Man, they really do put us to shame. We’re just going to go back to our hot chocolate and accept our non-existent exercise levels.

This video of sprinting sumo wrestlers is incredible

The video of was uploaded to YouTube last week and has already hit over half a million views. In it, three sprinting sumo wrestlers, Kento Amakaze, Tatsuaki Kaiho and Kanata Takatenshu, make a dash for the finishing line. And they’re surprisingly light on their feet. Just take a look (and watch out for a glimpse of butt towards the end when one of the guy’s ‘mawashi’ belts starts to slip down):

The video was recorded during a break from practice, and was shared on Twitter by fellow wrestler Masakatsu Ishiura. So far the Tweet has been retweeted over 1,500 times, and favourited over 1,400 times. It definitely puts our ignorant preconceived notions of sumo wrestlers back in their place – and it seems the YouTube commenters feel just the same.

Just how fit are sumo wrestlers?

While the video is great on its own, it got us wondering. Just how fit can sumo wrestlers be? Sure, they are encouraged to put on weight in order to make them a more formidable opponent. After all, the purpose of sumo wrestling is to force your opponent out of the ring, so the heavier you are, the harder it’ll be for the other guy.

But don’t be fooled. Despite their size, sumo wrestlers are probably fitter than the average human. The wrestlers eat high quantities of high-protein foods in order to put on weight as muscle, rather than fat. They also train and exercise a hell of a lot to increase their core strength.

Credit: asiasociety.org

That’s not to say that sumo wrestlers don’t have their fair share of health issues. According to Wikipedia, sumo wrestlers have a life span that’s 10 years shorter than the average Japanese male. Problems usually arise in the form of knee problems as a result of excess weight, while diabetes and heart attacks also pose a threat. And that’s exactly why regulations around weight gain are becoming less strict over the years.

So, yeah, life as a sumo wrestler might not be perfect. But, c’mon, you can’t deny they’re still pretty awesome.